Safety valve for gasoline tanks having plural control means



March 29, 1966 MORIN 3,242,937

SAFETY VALVE FOR GASOLINE TANKS HAVING PLURAL CONTROL MEANS Filed Jan. 16, 1965 IN l E N 70/? Ade'lard NOR/N AGENT United States Patent 3,242,937 SAFETY VALVE FOR GASOLINE TANKS HAVING PLURAL CONTROL MEANS Adlard Morin, Matapedia, Quebec, Canada Filed Jan. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 251,866 -Claims. (Cl. 137-39) The present invention relates to gasoline tanks and more particularly to those of portable internal combustion engines, such as outboard motors and motors of mechanical chains, saws, and the like.

These gasoline tanks must be provided with an air vent, disposed above the maximum level of the gasoline within the .tank, in order to provide for ventilation of the tank and also to prevent excessive pressure within the tank. However, in portable engines, the gasoline frequently spills over through the air vent when the tank is inclined, which constitutes a fire risk, is uncleaned and is a waste of gasoline.

The general object of the present invention resides therefore in a safety valve which enables the automatic closing of the air vent when the reservoir or tank is inclined, in order to prevent spilling of the gasoline, and which automatically opens the air vent when the reservoir is back into a normal substantially horizontal position.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a safety valve of the character described, which is provided with means for automatically closing the valve when the reservoir is filled with an excess of ga'solineto thereby prevent spilling of the gasoline due to tank vibration, even when the reservoir is maintained in a substantially horizontal position.

Yet another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a safety valve of the character described, which completely prevents admission of rain, snow and the like within the reservoir while allowing free air circulation in the normal position of the tank.

Yet another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a safety valve of the character described, which is of a relatively simple and inexpensive construction and which operates in an eflicient manner.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will become clearer by referring to the following description and to the annexed drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a section of the safety valve of the present invention and of a portion of the tank to which the valve is secured, the valve being shown in its normal open position for free air circulation;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 1 but showing the valve in closed position under the action of the float members due to an excessively high level of the gasoline within the tank;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the valve mechanism showing the means which serve to close the valve when the reservoir is inclined; and

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the valve in accordance with the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, reference numeral 1 indicates a bell-shaped cap or plug, which is screwed on the threaded flange of an aperture made in the topmost wall 21 of the tank proper, as shown in FIGURE 1. The center of cap 1 is provided with an aperture in which is inserted a vertical tube 2, which is externally threaded over its entire length and is retained to cap 1 by means of the two nuts 3 screwed on tube 2 and overlapping the inside and outside faces of the marginal portions of the hole in cap 1 with the interposition of sealing washers (not shown).

A plunger rod 4 is freely movable within bore of tube 2 and its upper end forms a pointed tip 5 which protrudes Patented Mar. 29, 1966 "ice from the upper end of tube 2. A sleeve 6 is threaded on the upper end of tube 2 with the interposition of a sealing washer 7 between the lower end of the sleeve and the external nut 3. Sleeve 6 is provided with a central partition 8 which is itself provided with a tapered hole 9 forming a valve seat and adapted to contact tip 5 of rod 4.

A plug 10 is screwed in the upper end of sleeve 6 and is provided with a hole 11 opening laterally of plug 10 for the circulation of air.

The central part of plunger rod 4 is provided with two transverse pins 13 diametrically opposed and passing through elongated slots 12 made in tube 2 and in communication with the bore of said tube.

Slots 12 extend down to the lower end of tube 2 in order to be able to insert plunger rod 4 and its pins 13 within the tube. Nuts 14 and 15 are screwed on tube 2 and disposed at the level of the upper ends of slots 12. Nuts 14 and 15 are interlocking.

The lower nut 15 is provided at two diametrically opposed points with pivot rods 16 parallel to each other and to which are attached lever arms 17. Lever arms 17 cross each other and extend on each side of tube 2. The free end of each lever arm 17 supports a fioat member 18 made of cork or other material capable of floating on the gasoline. Lever arms 17 extend underneath and engage the pins 13 which are secured to the plunger rod 4.

In the open position of the valve as shown in FIGURE 1, lever arms 17 rest on a nut 19 which is screwed on tube 2 at a lower level than nuts 14 and 15. Nut 19 is locked into position by an additional nut 20. When the tank is full in a normal manner, and even if the gasoline reaches the top wall 21 of the tank, the gasoline level is insufiicient to cause floating of float members 18 and the latter remain open. Under these conditions, the valve seat, which is defined by tapered hole 9, is sufliciently higher than top wall 21 to prevent spilling of gasoline even if the reservoir is subjected to vibrations or the like.

However, there is danger of gasoline spilling if the gasoline level is excessive and the gasoline fills in part the bell-shaped cap 1 of the tank. Under these conditions, float members 18 are pushed upwardly by the gasoline and, in turn, raise plunger rod 4 whereby tip 5 of said rod seats against tapered hole 9 in order to close the valve.

A disc-like nut 22 is screwed on the lower end of tube 2 and is locked in this position by means of a nut 23. Disc-like nut 22 is provided with a peripheral shoulder 24 forming an annular groove with nut 23 and in which is rotatably engaged an eccentric plate 25 which can rotate in a plane perpendicular to the axis of tube 2. Plate 25 is provided near at one end with a hole, the edge of which engages the groove defined by shoulder 24 and nut 23. The other end of plate 25 is provided with an eccentric mass 26; thus when the valve and the gasoline tank are inclined, eccentric plate 25 rotates freely about its pivot constituted by tube 2 in order that mass 26 always takes a lowermost position. A lever arm 27 is pivoted at 28 to the end of plate 25 opposite mass 26. Lever arm 27 freely pivots in a plane which intersects the bore of tube 2. In the open position of the valve, plunger rod 4 protrudes downwardly from the lower end of tube 2.

When the valve is inclined due to the tilting of the tank, lever arm 27 pivots under the action of gravity towards rod 4 and pushes the latter into a valve closing position, as shown in FIGURE 3. Lever arm 27 always pivots under action of gravity because it is maintained in a vertical plane, as eccentric plate 25 on which it is pivotally mounted assumes itself a position in which pivot 28 is in an uppermost position.

A U-shaped yoke member 29 is secured at its ends to plates 25 between tube 2 and mass 26, extends downwardly in the direction of the axis of tube 2 and freely surround-s to close the valve. 1

When the valve is opened, there is free air circulation through lateral holes 30 made in tube 2 just underneath its zone of attachment to cap 1, said 'holes being in communication with the bore of tube 2 and the latter being a communication with lateral hole llmade in plug 10.

Thus, with the valve in accordance with the invention, spilling of gasoline is completely eliminated, but there is free air circulation between the top of the reservoir and the exterior as soon as the reservoir is in a normal position and is under normal conditions.

While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention has been illustrated and described, it is understood that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of claims.

What I claim is: 1. A safety valve for gasoline tanks of the type mounted on a portable apparatus and which can betilted, said valve the appended comprising a tube-secured to the wall of said tank'at the uppermost zone of said tank in its normal position, said tube protruding exteriorly of said tank and extending within the latter,.a'plu1 1ger rod havingapointed tip longitudinally movable within said tube, a valve seat secured to said tube eirteriorlyof said tank and adapted to receive said pointed tip of. said rod to close said valve, the end of said rod opposite to said tip protruding from the internal end of said tube in the opened position of said valve, an eccentric plate havinga weighted end and mounted on the internal end of said tube for free rotation in a plane perpendicular to said tube so that said eccentric plate rotates to take an angular position in which said weighted end is in a lower-most position in an inclined position of Said tank, a lever arm having one endpivoted to the end of said eccentric plate opposite said weighted end, said last named end of said eccentric plate taking an uppermost position when said plate and tank are inclined, said lever arm pivoting on said plate in a plane intersecting the internal end of said rod'to abut said rod and move the same to close the valve under action of gravity, when said tank is tilted.

2. A safety valve as claimed in claim '1, further including lever arms having one end pivoted on said tube, float members secured to the free ends of said lever arms, said tube being provided with longitudinal slots, said plunger rod having transverse pins extending through said slots and engaged by said lever arms of said-float members, an excess of gasoline within said tank causing raising of said float members which inturn cause displacement of said rod to close said valve,

3. A safety valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pivot points of said lever arms to said tube are longitudinally adjustable along said tube.

4. A safety valve as claimed in claim 1, further including a plug having a lateral air vent hole, removably secured to said tube above said valve seat.

5. A safety valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Zone of rotation of said eccentric plate on said tube is longitudinally adjustable on said tube.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 420,320 1/1890 Wagner 137-45 X 1,270,213 6 1918 Roescht 137 39 1,272,285 7/19 18 Manley 137-45 1,289,360 12/1918 Ba'rgor 137-45X 1,841,663 1/1932 Miller 1 137 39 X 1,995,228v 3/1935 Schirnanek 13745X 2,861,583 11/1958 Colliver 137 39 FOREIGN PATENTS 813, 26 9/1951 Germany.

ISADOR WEIL, Primary Examiner. V

CLARENCE R. GORDON, Examiner. 

1. A SAFETY VALVE FOR GASOLINE TANKS OF THE TYPE MOUNTED ON A PORTABLE APPARATUS AND WHICH CAN BE TILTED, SAID VALVE COMPRISING A TUBE SECURED TO THE WALL OF SAID TANK AT THE UPPERMOST ZONE OF SAID TANK IN ITS NORMAL POSITION, SAID TUBE PROTRUDING EXTERIORLY OF SAID TANK AND EXTENDING WITHIN THE LATTER, A PLUNGER ROD HAVING A POINTED TIP LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE WITHIN SAID TUBE, A VALVE SEAT SECURED TO SAID TUBE EXTERIORLY OF SAID TANK AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID POINTED TIP OF SAID ROD TO CLOSE SAID VALVE, THE END OF SAID ROD OPPOSITE TO SAID TIP PROTRUDING FROM THE INTERNAL END OF SAID TUBE IN THE OPENED POSITION OF SAID VALVE AN ECCENTRIC PLATE HAVING A WEIGHTED END AND MOUNTED ON THE INTERNAL END OF SAID TUBE FOR FREE ROTATION IN PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO SAID TUBE SO THAT SAID ECCENTRIC PLATE ROTATES TO TAKE AN ANGULAR POSITION IN WHICH SAID WEIGHTED ENDS IS IN A LOWERMOST POSITION IN AN INCLINED POSITION OF SAID TANK, A LEVER ARM HAVING ONE END PIVOTED TO THE END 